Reviews

“Max Karpov has produced a cleverly conceived thriller that tracks reality. He captures perfectly the mentality of Vladimir Putin’s Russia – its deep sense of insecurity that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union and the malign behavior that flows from it. And, on top of it, the book is near impossible to put down. A must read.” – Michael Morell, Former Acting Director and Deputy Director, CIA

“The Children’s Game is uncanny in its timeliness and brilliant in its portrayal of disinformation as the most dangerous weapon of the new Cold War. Max Karpov has written a masterful thriller that is genuinely alarming in its plausibility. A must-read for 2018.” – Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Paranoia and The Switch

“The Children’s Game is a well-written, thought-provoking thriller that is extremely timely in light of the allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential election.” – Phillip Margolin, New York Times bestselling author of The Third Victim

“A razor-sharp, bow-string-taut, brilliantly plotted example of the thriller-writer’s art. For me the prose is up there with le Carre and Forsyth.” – E.M. Davey, former BBC investigative journalist, author of Foretold by Thunder and The Napoleon Complex

“The Children’s Game is a cerebral, groundbreaking, all-too-plausible thriller made all the more prescient by the current state of US-Russia relations. Max Karpov peers into his crystal ball in crafting a tale that’s so cutting edge, flipping the pages may result in bloodied fingertips. Karpov proves himself every bit the equal of Daniel Silva in crafting the best book of its kind since Nelson DeMille’s classic The Charm School. Searingly sumptuous storytelling sure to please fans of Brad Thor, Brad Taylor and the late, great Vince Flynn.” – Jon Land, USA Today bestselling author of Strong to the Bone

“Gripping and powerful … a brilliant story written for our generation. The Children’s Game is a must-read for any serious spy fan.” – Michael Brady, former US career intelligence officer, author of the Into the Shadows spy series

“Compelling, authoritative, and extraordinarily timely, The Children’s Game is a cleverly plotted and disturbingly plausible journey into the dangerous realm of cyberwarfare. Max Karpov is a Kremlin-watcher whose extensive knowledge shines on every page. He’s a fresh voice in the genre and his insightful novel takes the underworld of espionage in unexpected and startling new directions.” – Carla Norton, New York Times bestselling author of Perfect Victim and The Edge of Normal

“Max Karpov’s The Children’s Game is just about the timeliest novel I’ve read this year. But this is no mere ripped-from-the-headlines knockoff. This is a fast-paced, vivid, surprising thriller, featuring a great new hero for our troubled times, former CIA agent Christopher Niles. Don’t miss this one. I can’t wait to read more.” – David Bell, author of Bring Her Home

“The Children’s Game puts us smack in the middle of a dangerous new reality: Russian meddling in another country’s affairs using manipulation of the masses via disinformation, troll factories, and bot armies—and the alarming events they set in motion. Timely, plausible, and captivating, The Children’s Game is as prophetic as it is thrilling.” – Alan Jacobson, USA Today bestselling author of Dark Side of the Moon

“A tense tale of international intrigue, The Children’s Game is absorbing, thrilling, and frighteningly relevant.” – Laura McHugh, author of the International Thriller Writers Award-winning novel The Weight of Blood

“A tight, gripping tale of the men and women who face death in the hidden conflicts of superpower politics. Startlingly believable.” – Ben Bova, six-time Hugo Award-winning author of Mars and the Grand Tour series

“If you believe the Cold War ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall, think again. Max Karpov’s explosive novel shows how Russia’s sophisticated troll factories and bot armies could topple Western democracies as effectively as their T72 battle tanks and nuclear warheads … The Children’s Game plots a plausible and well-researched scenario in which Vladimir Putin’s Russia could defeat the greatest superpower on Earth in four simple moves … The book is beautifully written, well-researched and packed with action. Karpov’s knowledge of the American intelligence community and Russian politics puts him on a par with John le Carre and Frederick Forsyth at their best … But it is Karpov’s analysis of the shocking power of a targeted post-truth and fake news attack that gives the book a contemporary and chilling atmosphere … A new master thriller writer has emerged, and I am looking forward to reading many more of Max Karpov’s novels.” – Christopher Hepworth, author of the Sam Jardine thrillers